


Product Of Hope

by Ilerre



Series: The Walking Dead Prompts - Dixoncest / Dixcest [5]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Comfort, Conversation, Sibling Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-03
Updated: 2015-08-03
Packaged: 2018-04-12 20:02:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4492836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ilerre/pseuds/Ilerre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"So, uh, Judy's three. I think."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Product Of Hope

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt by Higgystar:  
>  Carl tries to talk to Merle about how to be a big brother. Now he’s got a new baby sister and no idea how to be a sibling, and despite being a dick, he knows that Merle knows how to look after a younger sibling. ******

0

"So, uh, Judy's three. I think."

Merle's eyebrow twitched slightly, but he didn't look up from the gun he was cleaning. "Uh-uh," he muttered around his cigarette.

Carl sighed and plumped himself next to Merle with a huff, scrapping the heel of his old trainer on the plank of the porch. "I mean—I never had a sister before," he snorted, " _obviously_. And I don't know anything about being a big brother."

Merle chewed on the inside of his lower lip to keep from snapping and took a deep calming breath. Even after more than three years on the roads with those people, he still had trouble keeping his calm around things he found annoying. Normally, Daryl was there to distract him, but the little bastard was nowhere in sight. "So ya thought to ask _me_?" he said under his breath.

The boy waved his hands around in a gesture that probably made sense for him but for Merle, it only looked like he was chasing bees away. "Well, yeah, you're the only one with a brother 'round here. I wasn't gonna ask Sasha."

Merle winced and felt an old pang of guilt in his gut. Every time he thought of Sasha, he thought of how lucky he was Daryl was still alive. He really didn't know how the girl got over what happened to Tyreese, because Merle knew he wouldn't be able to survive Daryl's death.

He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Well, I dunno what ya want me to say," he admitted. "I guess ya jus' have to try and do your best. Be the best person ya can. Be strong and be brave."

Carl frowned. "Daryl's strong and brave."

Merle snorted. "'Course he is," he said as if it was the most logical thing in this godforsaken world. "Daryl fancies himself the big brother sometimes." He shrugged. "The secret is to make them think they're taking care of ya, but really, you're the one doin' it."

Carl frowned, but nodded. "Uh. Like when you force Daryl to sleep more than two hours after telling him he wouldn't be able to keep the group safe if he was exhausted." Smart kid.

Merle chuckled. "Yeah, like that." He shrugged. "It won't be so hard though, Lil' Asskicker is used to being taken care of, Daryl just doesn't like being babied."

Carl hummed again and stood, dusting imaginary dust from his pair of jeans. "Well, thanks Merle."

Merle nearly chuckled and inclined his head. "Anytime kid."

0

**Author's Note:**

> This work is unbetaed. Please feel free to point any typos you saw or missing words, or any sentences that just don't make any sense :)
> 
> [SUBMIT A PROMPT HERE](http://hillbells.tumblr.com/submit)


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